Lost Trail Stories 'Episode #10'

by Lost Trail Publishing

No Free Lunch

Eureka, December 30, 1915 Jack Walsh, a blacksmith at one of the logging camps, became enmeshed in the toils of the law when he was arrested on a charge of assaulting Willie Sakamoto of the Model Café. It was charged that he ordered a meal, and after eating same, refused to pay, and when requested to do so by Sakamoto, assaulted the Oriental. Walsh was taken before Judge McCoy and released under cash bond of $50.00. When arraigned he was fined $25.00 and $2.50 court costs.


Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor etc., etc.

Laredo, Texas, June 10, 1915 In the last few days about 5000 people, many of who are destitute, have arrived here from Monterey as the result of an order published by the governor of Monterey, General Davilla, who provided that all civilians who wished to go to the border would be transported free. At the border, Mexican authorities turned the refugees over to the American side for care, but the immigration authorities had to turn back about 90 per cent of them. “They are in a wretched state of destitution,” declared General Evans, “and what is going to become of those driven back to the other side of the river is not known.”


Costly Blunder

Whitefish, December 30, 1915 Alfred Gustafson, employed by the Great Northern as a bridge carpenter, and a man named Erickson were struck by No. 2 while attempting to cross a 50-foot high trestle on a handcar. The party knew that No. 2 was late, and had stationed a flagmen ahead, but misunderstood the signal given, and thinking that there was a clear right-of-way proceeded to cross. The accident would not have been so serious had not the engine been carrying a snow-plow ahead of the pilot. This served to sweep the luckless men from their positions on the sides of the trestle. Gustafson’s fall was somewhat broken by one of the braces and his injuries are yet to be determined. Erickson lived only 30 minutes.


A Small Step Up

Eureka, January 6, 1916 Owing to additional duties imposed upon him by the public utilities commission in connection with the local water system, Town treasurer Sturm asked an increase in salary. After some consideration the aldermen voted Mr. Sturm an increase of $2.50 a month. The treasurer will henceforth receive $20.00 per month.


I’m Gettin’ Nuttin for Christmas

Butte, January 6, 1916 Argument over an alleged shortage of the returns from a “boiling pot” for the Salvation Army’s Christmas celebration is believed to have caused William Peterson to wreck with 10 sticks of dynamite the Salvation Army hall recently. The explosion shattered windows for a block on either side of the hall.


Outa Here

Butte, January 6, 1916 Several hundred Montanans are planning to spend the remainder of the winter in California, many having been influenced to seek a vacation in the land of sunshine and flowers by their experiences during the recent period of unusual cold. They will journey from Butte to Los Angeles on a special train January 21 in the evening.


Paths Plowed

Eureka, January 6, 1916 Chief of Police Carlson, with the assistance of Ed Hendrickson and his team, used the snow plow effectively, making fine paths to all parts of town.


Polson Drubs Eureka Basket Ball Boys

Eureka, January 6, 1916 The basket ball game between the Polson and Eureka high school teams resulted in a victory for the former by a score of 19 to 11.


Wishful Thinking

Honolulu, January 6, 1916 In the past few years the United States government has spent over $13,000,000 in making Pearl Harbor able to offer adequate resistance to attack from land and sea. The work is nearly finished now; and when it is done the U. S. will possess as formidable and as important a fortress as any in the world.


No Drones in the Bunch

Yaak, January 6, 1916 Burnett Dewey is over from the Yaak this week and says that the settlers in the region are well pleased with the new cabins and stables. Commissioner Garey says also that he is pleased with the way the settlers turned out and helped on the work. Each man did his share, and there were no drones in the crowd. Ed. note: Protective shelters were built at the foot of both sides of Dodge Summit so that settlers who came out for supplies had sanctuary from harsh weather.


A Flair for the Dramatic

Joliet, Ill., January 13, 1916 John Robart was shot and seriously wounded by Lillian Piper, waitress, 24 years old, who then shot herself to death. The young woman had asserted she had been wronged by Robart and that he had cast her off. A note pinned to her underwear said: “The wages of sin is death.”


Bad Booze Blamed

Seattle, January 13, 1916 T. Takano, proprietor of a Japanese drug store and hotel was arrested on a charge of selling wood alcohol without labeling the bottles “poison.” Detectives who investigated the deaths of 11 men and one woman from alcoholism since prohibition became effective January 1, asserted that at least three of the persons who died from drinking wood alcohol had purchased it from Takano. He was charged with manslaughter.


Good Ol’ Boys Club

Eureka, January 20, 1916 Eureka again has a social organization, known as the Eureka Club, which has become comfortably settled in the recently constructed Masonic Temple building. The new rooms are well furnished with leather upholstered settees, chairs, rockers, reading table, pool table and card tables, and are equipped with toilet and bath. When the building was constructed these rooms were especially designed for club purposes, for which they are admirably suited. The new organization starts off with a fine set of officers and a large membership, and promises to continue as a flourishing organization. Not many towns the size of Eureka can boast of such an organization, and the social features it offers to the men of the town in its new quarters are such as have long been desired. A ladies’ day will be inaugurated soon, and social features in the form of smokers, banquets and dances are being planned for the members and their friends.


This Too Will Pass

Eureka, January 20, 1916 While Eureka has had weather the past week or so that made the thermometer register considerable below zero, it has at no time been as cold here as has been reported from various parts of the state and the northwest in general. The colds snap has been unprecedented in length, but those who complain should remember that it might have been worse, and was not near as cold here as at many other places. Regular banana belt weather is looked for soon.


Dawdling Along in the Dinky

Eureka, January 20, 1916 Evidently traveling nowadays has its drawbacks, at least so thinks Peter Nelson, who made the trip from Kalispell to Eureka last Monday in seven hours on the “dinky.” Upon entering the yards at Whitefish the train collided with the rear of a freight train. The caboose was badly damaged, but no passengers were injured.


Gary Montgomery

About the Author: Gary Montgomery, a resident to the Tobacco Valley for over four decades, has worked in a variety of vocations common to the area including logging, saw mills, Christmas trees, public education, U. S. Forest Service, ranching and operating his own photo processing and printing business. For the last 23 years he has largely written and published a quarterly historical magazine called The Trail and formerly the Tobacco Plains Journal. Along with articles reprinted from historical newspapers, vintage photographs, personal diaries and other remembrances, he has interviewed over 115 oldtimers, each one with his or her unique view of history, both local and international. Montgomery can be contacted via his website: www.thetrailmag.com.